I CAN HARDLY BEAR 
THE SIGHT OF LIPSTICK 
ON THE 

CIGARETTES THERE 
IN THE ASHTRAY 
LYING COLD 
THE WAY YOU LEFT THEM

BUT AT LEAST 
YOUR LIPS 
CARESSED 'EM 
WHILE YOU PACKED 

AND A LIP PRINT 
ON A HALF FILLED 
CUP OF COFFEE 
THAT YOU POURED 

AND DIDN'T DRINK 
BUT AT LEAST 
YOU THOUGHT 
YOU WANTED IT 

AND THAT'S 
SO MUCH MORE 
THAN I CAN SAY FOR ME 
IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR 

FOR THE ROSES 
MANY BLOOMS 
STILL LINGER THERE 
THE LAWN COULD STAND 

ANOTHER MOWING 
FUNNY I DON'T 
EVEN CARE 
AND WHEN YOU TURN 

TO WALK AWAY 
AND AS THE DOOR 
BEHIND YOU CLOSES 
THE ONLY THING 

I KNOW TO SAY 
IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR 
FOR THE ROSES 


AFTER THREE FULL YEARS
OF MARRIAGE 
IT'S THE FIRST TIME 
THAT YOU HAVEN'T 

MADE THE BED 
I GUESS THE REASON 
WE'RE NOT TALKING 
THERE'S SO LITTLE 

LEFT TO SAY 
WE HAVEN'T SAID 
WHILE A MILLION 
THOUGHTS GO RACING 

THROUGH MY MIND 
I FIND I HAVEN'T 
SPOKE A WORD 
FROM THE BEDROOM 

THE FAMILIAR SOUND 
OF OUR ONE 
BABY'S CRYIN' 
GOES UNHEARD 

IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR 
FOR THE ROSES 
MANY BLOOMS STILL 
LINGER THERE 

THE LAWN COULD STAND 
ANOTHER MOWING 
FUNNY I DON'T 
EVEN CARE 

WHEN YOU TURN 
TO WALK AWAY 
AS THE DOOR 
BEHIND YOU CLOSES 

THE ONLY THING 
I KNOW TO SAY 
IT'S BEEN A GOOD YEAR 
FOR THE ROSES